CANIBRAY, the Canzaracum, or Carnaracurn Nervio rum, of the ancients, a city of France, and the principal place of a district in the department of the North, is situ ated on the banks of the Scheldt, by which it is divided into two parts. The city is large, well built, neat and clean, and every where exhibits the remains of wealth and prosperity. Though the town is irregular, and the sub urbs mean, yet the streets are spacious, and the public buildings magnificent. The houses are all built in the Spanish fashion, with their gable ends towards the street. The place or square fur arms is so large as to contain the whole garrison in order of b4ttle; and, though irre gular, it has a fine effect. The principal hotel and the Episcopal palace are superb edifices ; and the pyramidal steeple of the cathedral has been much admired, though it is still inferior to the steeples at Vienna, Strasburg, and Antwerp. There arc more than 600 steps from the c••ound to the foot of the spire, which receives no sup port either from carpentry or iron-work, and which ap pears to be as high as the rest of the building. Exclu sive of the cathedral, there arc two collegiate churches and eight parish churches, together with several abbeys and hospitals. Cambray is well fortified, being defended by a fort, and by a strong though ancient citadel; and, as the adjacent country may be inundated, it is reckoned of the strongest cities of the Netherlands.
Cambray was formerly one of the most celebrated cities in Europe for its manufacture of fine stuffs ; and its corn 111CrCC, favoured by the Scheldt, which is however scarce ly navigable up to the town, contributed to enrich its inhabitants. Since the establishment of similar manu factures at St Quintin and Valenciennes, those of Cam bray have sustained a very considerable diminution. The manufactures carried on at present (1812) in Cambrav, arc those of linen, cambric, lace, black soap, tapestries, hosiery; and there is also a very extensive bleaching es tablishment, and a refinery of salt. In the year 1779, there were manufactured at Cambray, 977 pieces of lawn Ids wide; 77 pieces of lawn iths wide; 7578 pieces of cambric ; 17 I pieces of striped lawn; and o inrc r, ofltw n wrought with gold, silver, &c. ; and about lo.o.,o p .« s of cloth were bleached during the same ) car. irs, which continue for nine days, 'and at b all sorts of merchandise are sold, are held On the 25th of April ithd the 28th of October. Population 15,600. Ez.st Lung. 3° 13' 41", North Lat. 50° It/ Sec Bygge's p. 55, 56 ; and Almanach du Commrree, 1811, p. 755. (o)